Workshop on Proposed Revisions to the Common Rule in Relation to the
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Risks and Harm:
Possible Extensions of Exempt/Excused
An Example from Economics, Political
Science, Game Theory, Judgment and
Decision
Charles R. Plott
March 21-22, 2013
Experimental works in the fields have major
impacts on society
Airline access to major airports
Cell phone licenses
Kyoto protocols
Kidney exchange
Medicare Equipment procurement
Pollution permit markets
Network access processes (power grid, phones)
Financial bailout (toxic asset auctions)
Economics, Political Science, Game Theory, Decision and
Judgment are among the most removed from the
biomedical sciences
What potential subject risks and harm exist in
these sciences?
What do the experiences of the scientific
community reveal? Are other sciences
similarly situated?
The questions were put to major researchers
and laboratories.
The results suggest:
• there are no risks in those areas
• the language is easily misconstrued
Other social sciences might be similarly situated.
Issues of exemption (excused) should be
pursued.
Respondents
Subjects
Subjects Median
Adverse Incidents
Reports of Harm
Nature of Risk
Physical
Psychological
Social
Informational
Economics
Society for Judgment
Political Science and Decision Making
30
85
104,000
680,000
8,000
1
0
0
0
0
0
8,000
0
73
Economics
Society for Judgment
Political Science and Decision Making
Respondents
30
85
Subjects
104,000
680,000
Adverse Incidents
1
0
Reports of Harm
0
73
• Subject went bankrupt and had to leave the
experiment
• Disappointment due to failure to earn more.
Economics
Society for Judgment
Political Science and Decision Making
Respondents
30
85
Subjects
104,000
680,000
Adverse Incidents
1
0
Reports of Harm
0
73*
•* 60 (from one respondent) stress due to negative
feedback about personal performance
• frustrated: did not understand lotteries
• IAPS photographs complaint
• guilt feeling after a prisoner's dilemma defection
• equipment did not work
• payment dissatisfaction (due to an error)
• (irritated) was asked about the value of a life
• mix-up on mailing revealed address to another
Why is there no risk or harm?
The research topics are those of daily life and
carry no potential for harm
•
•
•
•
•
markets
committees and voting
games
processes focus (as opposed to individuals)
decisions
Why is there no risk or harm?
The research methods and technologies involve
no risk (fmri possibly excepted).
• questionnaires
• computer and internet games
• abstract consequences- aside from money
earned have no effect on subjects.
• subjects trained and tested on the rules
• no confidential data collected (beyond needs
for accounting)
If no evidence of risk or harm exist then the
appropriate techniques, methods, areas and fields
of the social sciences should be identified and
exempted (excused).
Understanding risk and harm means recognizing
when they do not exist.
Thank You
An example of an economics experiment
10
9.00
10
7.50
8
6.70
7
6.30
6
5.30
4
3.80
2
2.60
2
1.60
10
10
8
7
6
4
10
10
9
7.50
8
6.70
7
6
6.30
4
5.30
2
2
3.80
2
2.60
2
1.60
10
9.00
9
10
7.50
8
6.70
6.30
7
5.30
6
3.80
2.60
4
1.60
7.50
6.70
6.30
5.30
3.80
2
2.60
2
1.60
10
10
10
9.00
9
10
8
8
7.50
7.50
7
6.70
6.70
6
6.30
6.30
7
5.30
6
3.80
4
5.30
2.60
4
1.60
2
2
3.80
2
2.60
2
1.60
equilibrium prices predicted by model
(solid lines)
Price time series